The Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework, which will provide a basis for measuring progress on improving the health and wellbeing of the population, was published today by Minister for Health Simon Harris and Minister of State for Health Promotion Catherine Byrne.
This Outcomes Framework is a key action in the implementation of Healthy Ireland, as well as an early commitment in the implementation of the Sláintecare strategy.
Minister Harris said: “I’m pleased to publish the Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework which clearly shows the interdependencies between what we are trying to achieve in health and other policy areas, where there are significant shared agendas. This will help focus our efforts on our priorities as a society and help us to better understand how other Government Departments and sectors can influence health and wellbeing outcomes, prevent illness and reduce health inequalities.
Healthy Ireland is also an important action area within the Sláintecare strategy, which aims to improve population health outcomes over the coming decade. The Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework will support strengthened collaboration across Government to put wellbeing at the core of all public policy and will also drive the work with partners in wider society to build engagement and action at local level.”
The Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework contains an initial set of indicators which includes measures showing the health status of the population, such as smoking and obesity rates, health protection measures such as screening and vaccination, social factors such as educational attainment and poverty, environmental factors such as air quality, and measures of wellbeing.
All of these measures taken together give a holistic picture of overall societal health and wellbeing, and provide a mechanism by which the impact on population health of relevant policy areas can be assessed in the future. The set of indicators was agreed through collaborative work across government and with stakeholders, and an annual report on progress will be will published from 2019. Further work will also be undertaken to update and add indicators in other relevant policy areas.
Minister Byrne said: “The publication today of the Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework is an important step in realising our vision of a healthier Ireland where people live longer, healthier lives, in safe, healthy environments. We want everyone, young and old, to feel supported in their communities in taking steps, big or small, towards a healthier lifestyle. Through this framework we can more effectively measure how policies impact on communities, and drive change at both national and local level in creating better health outcomes for all.”
Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health said: “Improving the health of our population is the ongoing priority for all of us who work in the health system, but it’s important to acknowledge that health and wellbeing is also a priority for us as a society. Under Healthy Ireland, the health system has an important role in supporting and building capacity in other sectors, so that they can play an even stronger role in leading and sustaining a national movement for health and wellbeing, and increasing our collective focus on prevention.”
Read the Outcomes Framework on our website here.